A Life Taken
by TheDarkBro
Summary: An adventurer goes into the Ever Free to help recover lost animals only to be slain protecting another, now he must find his place in society and all the while a great evil is about to rear its head and lay waste to the peaceful world. Rated M for Violence, and things to come...
1. Chapter 1 - The Beginning Of The End

I wish I could say my life was picture perfect, and the world that I lived in was perfect and had very little conflict, but it will suffice to say I had that idea all turned on its head and tossed across the room in one day.

I suppose I should probably start with who I am and what I look like so why not? Sup, My name is Dark Skies, I am a male pony (stallion) am about 3'6" to the top of my back, I am a light gray color with a blue mane (the color of the fanfiction blue banner) I have electric blue eyes. My cutie mark is a starry indigo oval with a white five pointed star in the middle. It represented my ability to navigate by the stars and it makes me an excellent guide to ponies who need to travel through the day and night giving me a much needed job and adds excitement to my life. Now, lets get to the whole reason you're reading this, the day my life got turned on its head.

It was pretty normal for me as I had a pretty simple life, it might seem weird to some that each day I wake up in a tent wherever I dropped all my stuff last night but I find it pretty fun to wake up in the morning and to look outside and find out where I am. The only solid shop I have is in ponyville it is relatively simple it is a one room area with my desk in one area, a couple of filing cabinets in a corner and a small safe for the funds, outside there is a couple of windows looking in, above it all is a simple sign that says "Dark Skies, Travel Guide." It was pretty simple and it wasn't a huge business but it pulled in enough bits to pay the bills and have quite a bit left over.

But then again, the day everything went wrong, it all started with the mare bursting in. It was about 6 at night and Celestia was about to lower the sun, when she burst in. Her name was Fluttershy she was a very light yellow with a pink mane and so my tale of tragedy and surprise begins.

I was startled by the bell ringing, as it was almost time to close. It wasn't so much the bell ringing that disturbed as the fact that she was already in my face by the time the bell had rang, and the even more surprising thing was that she wasn't out of breath even though it was obvious that she had ran here from wherever she was, as she had leaves sticking out of her mane and it was messy and tousled.

"Can I help you?" I said surprised by her sudden arrival and the fact it was so close to closing time to boot. "Yes, I need help finding one of my animal friends." She suddenly remembered she was demanding this of me, and seemed to shrink down a little and said, "If you want to help…" I was in a little bit of shock from the sudden turn from such a controlling personality to this shy being, but I recovered quickly. "Of course what do you need me to do?" I said she gave a thankful smile and said, " I need a guide into the Everfree Forest." My eyebrows rose in surprise "The Everfree!? Hmm that will be a test of my skills for sure!" I say and she droops thinking I will turn her down, "Its alright if you don't want to hel-" I cut her off "Of course I will help just let me get ready."

She beams at me and says "Meet me at my cottage I will be ready to go when you arrive." And with that she rushes off to prep. After she leaves I let out a sigh and look at the setting sun, hopefully we find the animal before the sun goes down, no adventurer has come out of the forest alive after the sun sets. And with that I grab my gear and set off towards her cottage with a sense of dark foreboding.


	2. Chapter 2 - The End

When I reached Fluttershy's cottage I came upon her giving last minute directions the smatter of animals that were spread around the property. After waiting for her to notice me for a little bit I finally spoke up "Are you ready?" She gave a quiet Eeep! And turned around to see me and said "Oh I'm sorry have you been waiting long?" looking embarrassed. I replied "No, not very long are you ready to go?" to this she just nodded and I decided to lay down some ground rules. "Ok well here is the deal we have about an hour and a half before sunset and as far as I know no one has ever made it out of the Everfree after dark." To this she visibly paled beginning to see this for how dangerous this actually was. "Also, listen to what I say, I know you live by the forest but I have been in it before and know more than you do." She nodded and we took off. As we went I realized that I still didn't know what animal we were looking for so I asked "What pet are we looking for anyway?" She looked up "Earlier my bunny angel was acting strange and wanted to get outside, when I open the door he ran off into the forest, which was when I came to get you." I nodded my understanding

 _ **An hour passes…**_

We were now pretty deep in to forest and had seen neither hide nor hair of the small bunny, and while Fluttershy had only grown more frantic I was beginning to think about whether to bring up returning home yet when she found something. "Over here!" she said I came over to see a fluff of hair caught on a branch that was very low to the ground, this lead to a trail with tracks. We began to follow it until I noticed something else, the canopy above us had been broken as if something had crashed through it, and I pointed this out to Fluttershy who only hoped that it wasn't something trying to catch Angel.

We had fifteen minutes until sunset and it was going to take at least ten to make the trek back to the edge of the forest, but we had a solid trail now and it seemed that we were growing very close to both angel and whatever had broken through the treetops as evidenced by the skid marks that we saw every now and then. Whatever had made those probably was down for the count from the amount of times it had bounced it was going pretty fast.

When we finally found Angel it wasn't that we had found him that surprised me but in return what he had found because on the floor of the forest was a pony. She was dark grey Pegasus and had a yellow green mane and tail with a cutie mark of bubbles. "Derpy!" Fluttershy exclaimed she ran to the side of the downed Pegasus trying to shake her awake, I came up to and did an assessment of the mare. It looked like she wasn't injured but instead had just knocked her out; I was interrupted by "Derpy" shaking herself awake and opening her eyes to show that she was cross-eyed. "Whaa… Where am I?" she mumbled, "You're in the Everfree forest," I replied. This really got her attention; she jumped to her feet and looked around as if expecting the forest to consume us at any minute "Well we need to get going no one leaves the Everfree after dark!" she almost yelled, she then spread her wings and yelped in pain. The new spread of her wings revealed that one of them was bent at a strange angle, "I guess it is time to walk, the names Dark by the way." I said she looked at me and gave me a small smile "Thanks for coming to get me." She says, I blush and say "No problem." I am a sucker I know, but our conversation is interrupted by a tug on my leg. I look down and find that the little white bunny that we had forgotten in our rush to help Derpy was franticly trying to get my attention, "Mmhmm?" I say to the frantic bunny which in turn points to the horizon where the sun tauntingly slides below the horizon.

I gasp and turn the girls "We need to go, NOW!" I yell they in turn look where the bunny is pointing and while Derpy gasps Fluttershy eeps. I point then toward the trail and they take off at a gallop, as we go I notice that the forest has come alive with hoots and hollers announcing the new meal just waiting for a hungry predator to come get us. We get about halfway home before I hear something in pursuit I look over my shoulder to find that there is a small pack of timber wolves following us. My immediate worry about the fact that there is a pack of predators is cut short by the flash of grey that flashes by me as Derpy trips and rolls head over heels past me.

"Derpy!" Fluttershy exclaims "GO!" I yell as I turn to save the fallen mare skidding from the speed in which I change directions. As I rush back to Derpy who is about ten yards behind me the timberwolf pack splits and forms a circle around us, trapping us in a circle of wood and leaves. When I get to Derpy she starts to shake off the daze from rolling so many times when she notices the Timberwolves" Dark, What do we do now?" she whispers, I sigh and whisper back "When I jump at the one closest to the edge you charge past him and keep going until you are out of the forest, I should be enough of a distraction for you to escape." She just stares at me with that cross eyed expression before shaking her head "No way there is no way you will survive!" she quietly yells "That is the point, I always knew the Everfree would not let me leave alive." I say with resignment. She just looks at me with sad eyes and says "I'm sorry, it is my fault we're in here," with teary eyes she gives me a quick hug, which surprises me I'm not much of a ladies stallion, before getting ready to run. I smile a little bit, happy that I get to go out on a high note and with that I focus in "Three…Two…One." I jump at the nearest timberwolf breaking the quiet stalemate. With a crunch the beast's head caves in collapsing and dropping it into a pile of lumber, just as quickly Derpy rushes past me and out to her freedom, now sure I don't have to worry about the nice mare I turn to face my foes.

Eight, that is how many I had to take on to make it. When I dropped the first one the rest caved in the circle, coming at me with a vengeance ready to avenge their fallen comrade and make a new meal. The first to come at me was a dark oak wolf who leapt at me with splintered claws at the ready, I dodged to the right and delivered a swift kick to its leg breaking it off and sending it crashing back into the brush. Another comes at me while I am distracted and lands three deep scratches in my flank that immediately start bleeding profusely, now on limited time I crush the head of the timberwolf that got me and turn to face his five remaining companions. The next two jump at me giving me time to duck under them leaving just enough time for them to adjust and leave a shallow score running down the top of my back, now getting weaker from the blood loss I take my chances and send a dual footed buck straight into both of their skulls un-animating them both. This is when I make my final mistake, the buck left me open for retaliation from the three remaining wolves they quickly capitalize on it and land a series of three deep cuts running from my foreleg to flank that makes me collapse. Now too weak to retaliate I lay there closing my eyes and waiting for the end to come, but when it takes more than a second for the death blow I open my eyes and see a dark blur moving faster than the eye can see fighting the timberwolves off. The remaining wolves are dispatched by quick hoofed blows and are now piles of useful lumber.

The blur now slows down and reveals itself to be a pony it starts to walk towards me and I begin to shake terrified of this shadow that just took on three timberwolves and without using any effort destroyed them. It walks towards me revealing itself to be a pony, a mare, that had a pitch black coat and mane. She trots up to me and looks me over "Do you want to survive?" she says to me, I was beginning to get cold from the blood loss I groaned and whispered out "How?" she opens her mouth revealing fangs. I shudder "What are you?" she looks down and says "I am a Vampony, I am immortal and superfast and strong, I survive by drinking blood." She says this with a quiet detachment and it seems that she wasn't given the choice that she was giving me, I weigh my options in my head become a vampony and learn from her or choose to die right here from the timberwolves.

I am slowly getting colder and my body feels sluggish when I ask "Why me?" no one else knows about your kind why would you choose to reveal yourself to me?" she looks up at this and says "I saw what you sacrificed for that mare, that you just met, and decided I had to try and save you." I continued to think over it aware that my limited time was running out before saying "Will you still be there when I wake up?" she nods the affirmative and I think a little bit more before saying "Do it." she walks up next to me and says "This is going to hurt… a lot." Before I have the chance to process what she said she strikes biting down on my neck and I scream. Slowly I feel the rest of my body grow numb before blackness claims me.


	3. Chapter 3 - Awakening

With a gasp I woke up. The first thing I noticed was the burning thirst, the second was how wrong it felt to breathe. I looked around… "Where am I?" A voice replied "Still in the forest." My head snaps around to find the source of the words. "Calm down." She says, I now find her sitting across from me; looking like she had been waiting for some time for me to wake. "Who are you, and what happened?" I spit out snapping to my feet "Don't you remember? The timberwolves? Me saving you?" I gasp as the memory comes back, the attack, me saving Derpy, and how she had saved me.

"So am I a vampony now?" I choke out, still reeling from the shock of what happened, "Yes." She says now devoted to her simple confusing answers. "Ok well since you're so talkative would you mid telling me exactly what a vampony is?" I say, the sarcasm evident in my voice. "Sure." I settle down to listen, "We are an ancient race we were created by Discord eons ago. I was turned around the time Princess Celestia was born." I gasped at that, just the fact that she was so old was astounding to me. She didn't stop there, "We survive on the blood of sentient beings, and this gives us super speed and strength while also sustaining us." She paused for a breath, "If you go into the sunlight you will lose you super strength and speed, and after a minute you will start to burn to ash." She stopped looking like she was done talking so the questions I had began to bubble up "How are…" she held up a hoof stopping me, "It will be easier to show you, follow me." and with that she got up and started to walk out into the forest

After following her blindly for a while a finally got the guts up to ask "Where are we going?" without even looking back she said "To feed." We continued to walk before she said "There." A little ways off was a campfire with a group of ponies and a couple of changelings all sleeping. At the sight of the various creatures the burning thirst that I had noticed earlier came back with a vengeance and I tensed, "You are hungry, are you not?" The mysterious pony said, I still didn't know her name, I just gave a nod in response, she began to lead me down the hill.

Very quickly I found out that I wasn't a prey animal anymore, I first noticed it when I realized we were more silent than what should be physically possible, but after that I realized I didn't need to breathe which was kind of disturbing in a way but by far the last straw was when I felt an itch in my gums. When I ran my tongue over the area I realized I had a set of newly acquired fangs, this now realized we arrived at the camp where see stopped me "I will lead the first time, then it is up to you to find your own meal." She then lead the way over to a sleeping pony before leaning over it and biting down on its neck. The pony jumped in its sleep, before settling deeper into its dreams (I later learned that our saliva now carried a strong tranquilizer) when she was done she leaned back, the wounds were closed somehow, and said "Go find your own now." And with that she sped off silently into the forest.

Now left to my own devices I decided to just do it, I picked a target and moved to him pausing to stare down on the poor pony I had picked to be my meal for the night. As I stood over him I felt the revulsion at what I had to do even through the burning thirst that I knew would only be quenched by the liquid running through this pony's veins. Without even thinking I had been sinking lower towards the creature's neck wanting to bite into it while I wasn't thinking, so I did, the hot liquid running into my mouth was amazing even though I knew I should be repulsed. The young stallion under me stiffened when I first struck now let out a small cry in his sleep before the tranquillizer took over this didn't bother me until I heard another pony stirring behind me, my ears swiveled in the direction of the sound but I was too entranced by the feeling of the hot blood flowing into my mouth to notice the stirring mare.

What did shake me out of it was the gasp she made when she woke up to a black stallion leaning over her companion, this made me snap out of it and take my fangs out of the heavily weakened stallion under me. I paused to make sure he was ok feeling terrible that I almost drained him dry, I noticed that the puncture wounds were closing slowly, before turning to the now terrified mare. I started in shock also when I turned to find Ember Shine behind me, she was a reddish orange Pegasus with a wild black and orange mane and tail. She was one of the few friends from school that I bothered to keep in touch with and now here I was leaning over a sleeping friend with blood on my muzzle "Ember!" I said taking a step towards her. She cringed back and to my dismay said "What did you do to him you monster!" this hit me right in my unbeating heart, I lowered my head and simply said "I'm sorry." Before running off at such a speed that I probably just blurred out of sight to her.

I stopped at the top of the hill I had come over with the other vampony earlier and looked back with my now much keener eyes to find her shaking the stallion I had fed on earlier. With tears in my eyes I turn and went into the forest at a much slower place I went back into the forest.

 _ **Some Time Later…**_

I was moping in the clearing I had first woke up when she came back. "Did you do it?" she asked, I just gave a nod yes with my saddened mood lingering, she gave a sigh… and continued "It will never be easy, you will see years pass ponies and other beasts rise and fall and yet you will endure." She stopped looking like she was reflecting on her own experiences before continuing "It will never get any easier, but others will be there for you and you can watch the rest of ponykind from the shadows, you can call me Raven." She finished. "I just looked up and gave her a sad look, Dark Skies… You can just call me Dark." She gave me a small smile at that and turned "Follow me you have much to learn before you can attempt to assimilate with the rest of the world." And with that she walked off. I just gave a small shake of my head before going after her, hey may as well just go with it I still had to 'Endure' so may as well get it going.


	4. Chapter 4 - A New Beginning

With a smack, I slam down on the ground and without pause she lands on top of me fangs hovering inches from my throat ready to rip my head off. "You win again." I groan, aching from getting slammed into the ground time and time again, we had been sparring in hoof to hoof combat for the past three days and it didn't seem that I was getting any better. "You are slowly making progress." She said impassively as I picked myself off the mat for what seemed like the tenth time this session. "Sure doesn't feel that way "I spit out feeling my accelerated healing repair what felt like a cracked rib. Raven was a good teacher all things considered but she really excelled at fighting and she took training as "Non-Lethal fighting" I have had at least twenty broken bones in the past three days.

"I think we will break for the day." She said looking like she had just grown bored of beating me into submission. I just lay there my exhaustion of being beaten fully on display, more mentally than physically (you know unending stamina and all) but this time when I returned to my feet she gave me a look… one of those "hmmmm" looks your teachers give you before saying that the four page essay they assigned yesterday is due tommarow so I said "What?" she continued looking at me for a little bit longer before saying "I want to try something." This caught my attention pretty quick, "Our kind have some other abilities but this is made fair by the fact that not all of us can use them." She finally stopped and turned flicking her tail in a 'follow' motion, leading me into the forest.

A little bit later we came upon a clearing in the forest allowing the moonlight to shine through and hit the ground. "Stand across from me." Raven said with little emotion in her voice, I did as she said. She continued "If you do have the ability to do this you will not be able to pick the form you choose, it is completely random with no definite way to predict what you will turn into." I shrugged and said "Does it really matter? A week ago I wasn't able to do any of this anyway." She flinched a little at that I could see the guilt and pain in her eyes at what had been stripped from me in just a week. She shook herself returning to her unemotional state, "Well anyway let's see if you have anything special about you." She went in detail in how to go about it but in a way it wouldn't make any sense to anyone who isn't a vampony. She got the form of a raven (of course, what did you expect) that had white tips on her tail feathers.

Just before I tried it for the first time she warned me "Be ready the first time is immensely painful, your bones changing and skin stretching isn't the best feeling." I just grunted in way of answer and focused on what she said and prepared for change… only for nothing to happen she just looked at me "Not everyone is capable of doing these things." I got slightly angry at that. She thought I couldn't do it, I took a deep unessicary breath and focused again… still nothing I was getting even angrier by the second. I looked up at the moon and sighed viewing the beautiful orb that floated overhead watching over the sleeping creatures around the world, I found it oddly calming and one last time I tried focusing this time staring at the bluish orb hanging overhead. Then I felt something like a coiled snake at the middle of my core, I focused in on it and tried to tap into it and it slowly uncoiled just in time for me to be blindsided by the excruciating pain. I couldn't help but let out a yell as it was unlike anything I had ever felt before, imagine your bones being replaced with white hot magma and your skin being attacked by a storm of paper and lemon juice then roll that into one and do it while sitting on the surface of the sun then multiply it by ten and you have a limited understanding of what it felt like, I was almost grateful when blackness claimed me

 _ **Short Period of time passes…**_

I shot awake once again to find Raven standing nearby with her back to me "About time, I thought you killed yourself with your own thoughts." She said impassively. "Fuck no it just hurt that bad!" I wheezed, she turned to me and said "Well let's see it then." I shrank a little at that, I didn't want to go through that again, but then I remembered that she had said 'the first time' not it's always that bad. So I focused on that coiled snake… and let it take over.

I felt myself shrink and I heard a gasp from behind, the next time I opened my eyes I was much shorter and standing on two legs me I turned my head, finding it much more limber than before, to find Raven looking at me in shock. I looked at myself to find a black bodied bird with blue flames shooting out of my wings… I was a phoenix.

"Cool!" I shouted happy for the first time in a while, but what came out was a loud screech. Raven (who was still staring in shock) said "Impossible, there has never been a vampony who could be a phoenix…" I just cocked my head at that and she just continued to stare in shock. I figured 'Hey if she's busy then I may as well take this form for a spin! So I flapped my wings and took off into the pre-dawn sky.

A few minutes later I flew back to where she was, now deep in thought, and landed in front of her. "Well I guess I should tell you the ins and outs of the shapeshifter form, You can go into daylight in this form without burning but be warned if you leave your animal form during the day you will not be able to return to it till the moon rises, due to the fact that you draw power from the moon in order to transform in the first place." I just bobbed my head up and down in way of answer before letting out a piercing screech and flying off eager to visit Ponyville for the first time in a while.

 **Fast-Forward To When I Reach Ponyville**

Hey homecoming wasn't fun, I got there to find that I was mostly forgotten. I flew around the town in the uncomfortably warm predawn light to see some of the early rising citizens going around doing their thing, but I wasn't here for niceties I was here for some information so I turned toward the library.

When I got there I perched on the handle and tapped on the door with my beak *TAP*TAP* I repeated the process until the door was ripped inward by a short purple and green dragon. He was still rather sleepy (it still being really early). "Hello?" the dragon said sleepily looking around for the tapping noise not noticing me perched on the door handle above his head even though I was, oh I don't know ON FIRE! I mean how hard is that to miss!? So I tapped him on the head and just looked at him with one of those really? Looks animals can give. He looked up to see me perched above his head and jumped, before rubbing his eyes and looking again only to see that I was still there he just backed up and yelled "TWILIGHT! It's for you!" and walked off confused as it was a phoenix that woke him up in the morning by knocking on the door.

A few minutes later a tired looking purple unicorn with a star cutie mark trotted down the stairs. Seeing me she immediately broke physics by running up to me in the blink of an eye "OOOH! OOOH! OOOH! A PHEONIX!" she yelled bouncing up and down "Where did you come from?" I just gave a screech in response "Well come in Mr. Phoenix." She said moving out of the doorway. I hopped down from the perch on the door handle and awkwardly hopped inside.

I pretty quickly realized that this form was not good for enclosed areas. Still doing that hop jump movement I moved into the main room where I find that I have the space to fly so I did and perched on a conveniently placed statue in the middle of the room. "So what brings you here Mr. Phoenix?" this "Twilight" says, I just look at her and cock my head… did she really expect me to respond? I mean really? She blushes "I really just asked that didn't I." I just nod my head in response "Well, at least you understand what I am saying," she tapers off "Well why did you come here of all places?"

Well now that she mentioned it I really had no idea why I came here, I used to but now I don't remember it was just when the sun came out I wanted to get out of it as fast as possible and the library seemed like a good place. Twilight just looked at me expectantly so I just flapped in my wings in what was supposed to be a shrug, but just looked like an awkward flap of my wings "Well whatever then, welcome to the library it's also my house. Feel free to explore and do whatever you want." She says gesturing around the rather cluttered room. She blushes a little noticing the clutter she says "Oops sorry, I have been busy helping with a missing pony search so I haven't had time to clean up." I cocked my head, what's this somepony's missing? She continues "His name is Dark Skies, he went missing while helping Derpy Hooves escape the Everfree forest and everyone is looking for him." Hmm somepony is actually looking for me, "He disappeared after saving Derpy from a pack of timberwolves we still have hope that it was a distraction not a sacrifice but it is diminishing pretty quickly." She says with a gloomy expression.

I realize that that I am causing my caretaker some pain (Even if she doesn't know it) so I hop down and perch on her back and cuddle her a little. I quickly notice that she is almost fiery hot under claw but she makes a different conclusion, "You're ice cold!" she says turning her head to look at me, I just bob my head not really caring since temp didn't matter after I changed. I just nodded my head in a way, so she just kind of cuddled me back. She broke off after a few seconds "Well I would show you around town but you don't look like a daytime bird, I'm going to help with the search you are welcome to whatever you want in the library." With that she start totting off and after a few seconds I jump off the mulberry mare's back. A few minutes later she and the little dragon walk out the door and leave me to my own devices, I just roost on the conveniently placed statue in the middle of the library eager to exercise one of my other skills from turning ,Sleeping. Yeah really, I can now just imagine what time I want to wake up and I will, that said it also has its downsides I can't be woken up while I do it and it will become pretty apparent rather quickly that I don't breathe.

At all.

Or have a heartbeat but whatever it still it has its uses.

And with that I just settle in and fall asleep not really caring what time I wake up even as long as the sun goes down first.


	5. Chapter 5 - Healing Old Wounds

I woke up when I got whacked with a broom.

Yeah, it's a great wakeup call.

I recovered quickly scanning the area for threats and whatever was hitting me, soon the library came into focus, books, statue, floating broom, wait floating broom? I focused on that noticing the magenta aura and finding a certain Twilight Sparkle on the other end of it. "Sorry to wake you, but we just got back from the search and it looked like you had slept all day… so I woke you up!" She says with a happy smile, I cock my head, eh it was time for me to wake up anyway.

I flapped down to the base of the statue _'At least you didn't shove me off my perch'_ I think at her and to my astonishment she whips her head around wildly "Who said that!?" she says sounding panicky, this astonishes me it seems like I can send her my thoughts (thought-speak?) so I try it again _'Can you hear me?'_ Twilight then really starts to freak out "SPIIIIKE! ARE YOU PRANKING ME!?" she yells. Spike then pops his head out of a nearby closet "No Twilight I've been in here the entire time, why?" he says confused, well this is new I guess I will have to talk to Raven about that, but the time for that comes later. So I turn back to Twilight _'Hey I'm down here Twilight'_ now it seems like I've given her a panic attack "Where are you? All that is over there is a phoenix!" she shouts, much to spike's confusion, before sinking to the ground and holding her hooves over her ears and closing her eyes while shaking. I hop over to her and bop her on the nose with my beak _'Hey right here'_ she cracks an eye "What?" she says with some confusion written all over her face _'Yeah, you know the phoenix you met earlier? That'd be me'_ this time it ignites her inner scholar, "You can talk!" she shouts.

Spike is now looking at the magenta mare like she's lost it "Ahhhh, Twilight why are you talking to the phoenix like it can answer back?" he says. That kind of pisses me off, I turn to him and glare at him _'Because "The Phoenix" can talk'_ he gasps "Woah!" Twilight sees the exchange and probably infers the words, she then turns back to me "How can you do this? What else can you do? Can other phoenixes do it too? What if…" she stops when I hold up a wing in a stop gesture _'Woah slow down, I am quiet for a reason'_ she flushes "Ooops sorry, but what is your name, if you have one?" she says in return, that time I have to think a little as I don't want to give away my identity.

I settle for a complex answer _'I don't really have a name, I used to but so much has changed since then… you can call me Nix'_ she nods her head "Well OK Nix, do you want to meet some of my friends then?" she says with hope and excitement in her eyes, I think for a bit before deciding _'Sure why not?'_ she hops up from her panic attack position on the floor "Great! I'm sure they will all think that you are really cool!" she says excitedly before trotting towards the door "Spike I'm going out for a bit watch the Library for a bit please!" she shouts and then she is out the door and into the night before we hear his reply.

When we get outside I quickly take to the air and fly around still finding the sensation of flying exhilarating. Twilight, seeing that I am following from the air turns and starts walking towards the small cottage by the Everfree, the very same one that I left with Fluttershy to go rescue Angel and then Derpy.

That seems like so long ago even though it has only been a few days... I used to have to worry about the little things like where my next customer would take me or where the bathroom is, but now I have to worry about who I will have to eat to survive, and also to try not to blow a door clear off its hinges when I open it. Ahhh how life changes so quickly… or is it unlife? Undeath? Bah whatever.

While I fly back and forth over Twilight's head in the dark sky (Ha, see what I did there?) and think about the future, I really have nothing to do, I will need a food source and a way to keep myself busy, but at the same time I don't think anyone will want an immortal pony that feeds on blood working under them.

My less that optimistic thoughts are interrupted when Twilight shouts at me "Nix! Down here!" I quickly adjust my course to intercept her, and along the way I pick out a certain butter colored mare that hired me a few days ago. As I come in for a landing I pick up on their conversation "I know you've been down after Dark disappeared but I have someone that I would like you to meet." Fluttershy looks at her with depression on her face evident even from the distance that I am at "Who, and why do you want them to meet me?" she says barely audibly. I save Twilight from having to reply by landing directly on Fluttershy's back and letting out a piercing screech.

She lets out a loud "Eeep!" before retreating back into her cottage lightning fast with me still firmly attached to her back. She shoots into a pile of blankets next to her couch, I let go just before she does this and perch on the back of the couch nearby to the now quivering pile of blankets. I see a certain white bunny bounce over to the blankets and he starts to shake her out of her ill-gotten terror.

Slowly she begins to exit the pile of blankets and this is sped up tenfold when she catches sight of me "Oh hello there friend how are you doing?" she asks when she catches sight of me. I pause thinking for a second; do I terrify the gentle caretaker now or later?... Ah well screw it _'Pretty good all things considered'_ she "Eeeps!" again and retreats back under the blankets, I chuckle (In my head of course) and hop down so I can get at eye level with the timid Pegasus _'It's just me you know…'_ I think at the pile of blankets. The pile begins to shake like a leaf in a storm, "W-w-w-who's t-there?" I cock my head _'Didn't I just answer that?'_ the buttery mare begins to poke her head back out of the pile "N-no not really." She says as she looks around with her house with her soulful teal eyes. I shuffle nervously _'Well I'm down here.'_ She then looks down at me "Oh! Well this is certainly different..." she says her timidness apparently forgotten _'That is for sure'_ she giggles softly, "Well I see why Twilight wanted you to meet me now."

She then sighs "I just hope that Dark is ok where ever he is." This gets my attention pretty quickly _'Listen Fluttershy I know that you blame yourself for him not coming out of that forest but let me put your thoughts to rest, He knew that going into that forest would be dangerous, and he knew what was at stake when he sent Derpy to run. I know for a fact that he didn't regret either decision.'_ I start to feel bad when I see tears in Fluttershy's eyes "But if I hadn't gone to him he would still be here!" she says tearfully _'But you know that if you hadn't, Ponyville would be missing Derpy instead.'_ I retort she then starts to cry "Oh but either way that still means that there is a pony missing!" she says before starting to sob uncontrollably. I hop up to her and comfort her as best as I can _'I know it won't be easy but it wasn't your fault so you need to go on with your life.'_ She just continues to cry while I try my best to comfort her.

She raises her head, she has been slowly calming down but it took about ten minutes before her body wrenching sobs turned to manageable hiccups "I never *hic* got your name*hic*" she says her crying dying down. _'It's nix'_ I tell her while I keep leaning on her trying to provide some meager moral support. She giggle a little "I never thought that I would meet an animal that actually talks to me in a language that I understand." Somehow finding humor in this depressing situation, I just smile (on the inside) _'Well it isn't a common feature either.'_ She then goes silent for such a long period of time that I thought she fell asleep. Then she speaks up "Hey nix?..." I look at her _'Yeah?'_ her teal eyes bore into my eyes "How did you know so much about what happened? I didn't tell anypony as much as you know..." This causes me some trouble _'Well the easiest way to answer that without making it more confusing is to say, that I was there.'_ She then shifts a little so she is facing me, "How? I never saw you at any point but you know it as if you were there right next to me!" she exclaims her voice rising but only slightly. I shuffle nervously _'I live in that forest I know my territory well enough to not reveal myself if I didn't want too'_ this seems to appease her but another question quickly takes its place "Do you know where he went then?" she asks her eyes begging for an answer this one really catches me off guard so I stumble on the answer _'He… took off running trying to lead the wolves away I lost track of him after that so I know about as much as you do after that.'_ She seems to deflate "Oh. Ok" she mumbles sinking back into her depression. I heave an internal sigh, I came to try and get her to let me go but instead I just made her depressed.

After comforting her for a while I start to move towards the door but before I leave she asks "Will I see you again?" I pause thinking of an answer to yet another hard question _'I don't know'_ I tell her before I take my leave.

I find Twilight right outside the door _'You waited?'_ I ask she jumps when she hears that since it appears that she was deep in thought "Well yeah I wasn't going to just leave after I introduced you two." She the stops so she can give a big yawn _'Well you should get to bed it is just about midnight and I'm sure you want to be well rested for the last day of the search.'_ She just nods and starts to walk the path back to town, when she does this I hop up and perch on the purple pony's back. She shivers a little at my apparent chill but keeps going, so we stay like that in silence for a while.

When we're about halfway to town I notice something, the tall grass on the sides of the path is swaying a lot more than it should in such a calm breeze _'Hey Twilight…'_ I say but before she can reply three stallions jump out of the grass and surround us in a triangle shaped formation. The lead pony, a black unicorn with a yellow mane, smirks as he trots toward us "Well well well what do we have here? What is a pretty mare like you doing out here so late?" he says the one to in the rear on the right, a blue and white unicorn, leers at us and says "Don't you know that it is dangerous around these parts?" before laughing coldly. Twilight doesn't know what to make of the ruffians around us, but I do _'Twilight are you any good with combat magic?'_ I ask the magenta librarian, she turns her head and looks at the stallions around us "I'm ok at it but not the most amazing, I haven't reached that point in my studies yet" she whispers I groan internally, I have to figure out a way to protect this mare without exposing what I really am. Slowly the three hostiles begin to close in on us, but they really don't know how much of a threat the phoenix perched on her shoulder is.

As they get closer I settle on a plan of action _'If you can't take them I will go and get help then try to help you myself OK?'_ she nods in way of response not wanting to give my intelligence away before speaking to her assailants "You really don't want to do this you guys…" she says before sinking into a defensive posture. The leading unicorn simply chuckles before producing an object and saying "Oh but we really do." holding up a ring with his gray magic, Twilight gasps "An inhibitor ring!? But I thought they were only available to The Guard!" she says sounding slightly panicky. The leader smiles "The very same."

Now I should pause and explain what an inhibitor ring is, an inhibitor ring is a ring that fits over a unicorn's horn and prevents their magic from working, it is bonded to the owner and can only be manipulated by their magic. These foul excuses for stallion were probably going to slip it on Twilight and do unspeakable things to her, but they still haven't realized what danger they're in if they touch her, so I decide _'I'm going for help Twilight'_ I tell the frightened librarian she nods "Please hurry" she says in a terrified voice that breaks my heart to hear. I take flight and fly toward Ponyville leaving a trail of blue flames in my wake.

I land once I'm sure that they can't see me anymore and transform back into my normal self and let out a sigh, man it feels good to be back in my regular body. I then streak back to Twilight knowing that every second counts when it comes to her protection, especially if they plan on doing what I think they are going to do.

Hey everyone what's up sorry that I've been quiet for a while but I've been unbelievably busy, as we speak I'm on my way to the football game that I am in with my team! But as for the story and it's future don't worry, I plan on continuing it for a long while. If you are wondering why I haven't introduced a major conflict to the story it's because when I do things are going to go downhill fast so I wanted to introduce a few of the mane 6 before I do because pretty soon when that conflict comes, shit will hit the fan and it will fly every-where. That won't be for a few chapters but you may receive a few hints as to what it is in the coming chapters, but until then! –TDB

Update – we lost in the quarter finals to the number 1 team in the league 12-27


	6. Chapter 6 - Demon

Thanks to my super speed I arrive in seconds and crouch down in the very same grass that the three were hiding in earlier.

They seem to have taken the colorful phoenix leaving her as a sign of victory and they taunt her over it "It seems even your pet knows a losing battle when he sees one!" the greasy black leader chortles as he begins to close the short distance between himself and the magenta mare. Twilight tenses up ready for the inevitable fight "You don't have to do this." She says eyeing the two others coming at her from behind, she receives a chuckle from the blue and white one "Oh we don't have to… BUT we want to!" then one of the dirtiest ways possible they strike.

The blue and white one and the brown earth pony stomp their hooves on the ground drawing Twilight's attention and making her shoot a bolt of purple lighting into the unicorn. It sends him flying a good ten feet she turns her attention to the brown earth pony and grasps him in her magic and starts smacking him into the ground repeatedly.

She is holding her own pretty well until the leader springs the trap, while she takes on the two behind she forgets that the biggest threat is the leader, who still has the ring, and while she deals with his partners he sneaks up and slides the ring onto her horn. With a gasp her magic flees her and she gets shaky. She tries to stumble away from her assailant but only makes it a few feet before she trips and falls flat.

I recognize a lost fight when I see one and I tense waiting for the opportunity to strike. The leader seeing that he has won takes the chance to gloat "Not so tough now are you?" he laughs cruelly "I am going to enjoy hearing your screams of pain and pleasure… Sharps! Brute! Get over here!" He yells at his comrades, the two aforementioned stallions pick themselves of the ground looking worse for wear after taking quite the beating from Twilight.

The big earth pony, who I assume is Brute, cackles gleefully while trotting towards her "I'm going to enjoy this!" he says with malice and lust in he eyes. Twilight is still on the ground too weak to stand begins to let tears fall form her eyes. This serves the dual purpose of exciting her assailants and angering me, Brute who unwittingly crossed my path while walking towards Twilight is the first target.

His continued cackles are cut short when I let out a blood chilling snarl, his head moving back and forth "What was that?" his comrades just shake their heads "I don't know" being the prevalent answer, Brute just shrugs "Well, let's get back to you little mare." When he says this my vision goes red with rage, he makes the mistake of turning his back on the area where I was and I strike.

I let out a terrifying roar and leap out of the tall grass, leading with a flying kick. Brute doesn't stand a chance, with my speed and strength combined I fly like an arrow straight towards him all of my mass and strength going into one hoof, which in turn goes into the back of Brute's head. When it hits, a massive _CRACK_ is heard before his nose smashes into his chest, his body slumps to the ground, lifeless.

A/N: I'm going to try something new (Third Person POV)

The remainder of the rapists stare, with open shock, as the new assailant leaps into the fray and instantly takes down their buddies. The leader now glaring at Dark Skies maliciously says "You're going to pay for that!" before nodding to the remaining companion he has. Sharps, who wasn't the brightest flame, charges up his horn and aims it at the pony who had interrupted their fun and taken out his friend, with a _ZAP_ the bright red bolt of magic leaps toward the dark grey pony and strikes eliciting a scream from Twilight who has been watching the whole ordeal.

The stallion collapses, smoke rising from the hole burned clear through his side. Sharps laughs "That was too easy, eh boss?" the unicorn turns to his superior "Yeah, sure… well let's get back to little miss purple over here eh?" the boss replies they turn to Twilight thinking little of the life they thought that they had ended.

Dark Skies was thirsty, this wasn't just any thirst it was a burning need that just had to be quenched. He stood up ignoring the breeze that rustled through the now closing hole in his side with his clouded mind her turned to the three warm blooded being nearby, as he locates the three nearby he takes in two stallion unicorns attempting to take advantage of a mare unicorn who appeared to have her magic blocked, but what interested the demon inside him the most was the fluid running under their hides, the thing that would douse the fire inside his throat.

With a *schnick*his fangs slide into place and her lets out an unearthly screech and leaps at the two faster than the eyes can follow. Before they can even turn around he is upon them, his first target is the one who hit him and with a dull thud he sends him into the grass surrounding the path. Dark is in front of the tumbling stallion before he even comes to a stop, even though that is well past fifty feet off the path, in his clouded mind he can only come up with two thoughts _Food_ and _Fight._ Blades who is now beyond the point of coherent thought watches in horror as the very stallion who he just blew a hole through stops him and glares down at him, as he tries to charge up the exact spell Dark Skies reaches down and with uncaring brutality snaps off the unicorn's ultra-sensitive horn. The snap and the lung emptying scream echoes allowing all in the general vicinity to understand what had just happened, but without pause Dark Skies lifts Sharps into the air with one hoof showing his massive strength and snarls revealing his razor sharp canines that have no place in any pony's mouth. Sharps pisses himself and lets out another much higher screech that is cut off when the vampony bites down on his now exposed neck.

Dark tastes the sweet warm blood as it flows over his tongue and down his throat and only growls as it isn't flowing fast enough, he begins to draw his fangs up and down the victim's neck making the blood flow faster before stopping entirely. He callously throws the corpse aside as the burning need returns more, he must find more he remembers the other two back on the path and flits back there finding that the other stallion had left the mare alone for the time being and appeared to be searching for his buddy, not that it matter as he got the same treatment that Sharps had gotten, a flying kick to the side sending him through the opposite side of the grass. Dark Skies didn't have to worry about the horn this time, as this victim appeared to be too petrified to move let alone summon a spell. Dark snarls again before pouncing and sinking his teeth.

(Dark POV)

The world faded back into view a black mass all that I can see, I suddenly become aware of a flowing warmth of coppery liquid going over my tongue… whatever it is it's pretty good. I'm shook out of my trance of ecstasy when the black mass shudders, I jump away finding that it isn't a mass it's a pony. I realize what must have happened I return to his side and check his pulse, feeling it flutter weekly I know he isn't long for this world silently tears fall as I realize what I have done, I have taken too much and will never be able to give it back "I-I'm sorry…" I choke out trying not to break down any further. The boss chuckles "I never expected to hear a predator apologizing to the prey" he smiles seeming to find it hilariously funny "Blades would've loved that…" he trails off becoming still, his eyes glazing over as death embraces him.

I try to hold in my tears wiping them away, only to find that they are tears of blood "Well fuck you too universe" I say to nopony in particular. Then I realize that Twilight is still on the path probably terrified out of her mind, I go back to my phoenix form and fly to Fluttershy's cottage. I land on the windowsill and tap franticly on the window, Fluttershy appears from what look to be the kitchen and when she sees me I think to her ' _Twilight is in trouble, she is on the path to Ponyville please hurry'_ and without giving her the chance to reply I take flight and go into the Everfree.

When I get far enough in I go back to being a pony mid-flight and land using the speed to keep running, I strengthen my resolve, vowing to never allow something like that to happen again. I will try to find Raven and have her teach me how to fight, and how to keep the demon inside.

Third Person:

Steel Brace's day just got a whole fuckload worse. He was the guard captain of Ponyville and when he heard about a rape being thwarted he figured it would involve a slap the cuffs on and fill out some paperwork and go home, but instead he had to deal with a triple equicide and call in the superiors.

The first body was pretty bad but was only in the middle as far as gore, the brown earth pony received a blow to the back of the head hard enough to shatter the rear of the skull. Then it appeared to send his head down into his chest at such a speed that when his head hit it shattered a few of his neck bones, take your pick either was fatal.

The second was the least gory but left the most questions, the black unicorn had a tear in his neck similar to that of a knife slice but there was minimal blood around the scene. What drew even more questions was maniacal smile that he had on his face, what was so funny that the dead stallion would go to his grave laughing.

The third and final body was by far the worst, the white unicorn had a blue mane but that was where the ability to recognize him stopped. He had four broken legs, as if he had rolled here at great speed and his horn was snapped off at the base and was thrown a short distance away, what was by far the worst was his neck, it was flayed open by a knife about the same size as the other unicorn's wound. Once again there was a lack of blood, the only remaining was where the horn was, but instead of a flood like it should have been there was only a trickle. What was the most unsettling was the eyes, they were wide and terrified, clearly he had seen his death coming and it wasn't pretty.

What Steel Brace found was both strange and enraging was the lack of suspect, for the story gave almost none. According to Ms. Twilight Sparkle at about midnight she was returning from Ms. Fluttershy's cottage she was jumped by the three stallions, she sent her pet phoenix to get help and attempted to hold off her assailants, she displaced two before the third, who appeared to be the leader, slipped an inhibitor ring on her, she then collapsed with the ring sapping her strength. Another stallion, an earth pony, appeared and attempted to fight off the three but after dealing the earth pony's end he received a fatal magic wound to the side. She was then distracted by the rapists about to act upon her, but then the blue and white one just disappeared, likely seemed to disappear as he was hit at great speed, a few seconds later a snap, likely the horn breaking, and a scream rang out followed by another scream. Then the black unicorn disappeared in the same way, about a minute later she says she heard laughter, likely resulting in the maniacal smile.

Steel Brace had never had such a case in this town, the occasional theft or rape, but nothing on this scale. He just shook his head you just never know with some people, he looks over the bodies one last time before he turns to the ponies that work under him and sees that Luna's moon has risen "Hey colts! Let's pack it up for the night!" the stir of activity is taken up as they wrap up the bodies to be sent off to the morgue. He is interrupted when he hears an unearthly screech come from the Everfree, everypony turns to find the source only to see nothing in the gloom. Steel seeing that it's nothing important yet just goes back to work, but then another snarl rings out and when he looks he sees a wave of pale thin bodies come running out of the Everfree straight towards him and him fellow fighters.

 **Ha! You thought I was kidding when I said shit would hit the fan? Well welcome to the shit-storm! Anyway how was that? I hope you stick around, because there will be a lot more than that. What are the pale beings? What will Dark do next? What happens to Steel? Find out next chapter! -TDB**


End file.
